Disability Services Consultant

The Central Employee Services Division (CESD) within the Department of Human Resources (DHR) seeks an experienced collaborative and motivated professional Disability Services Consultant (Senior HR Analyst) to join DHRs Disability Services Team. This position provides critical support and case management for King County Employees seeking disability services.

As a Disability Services Consultant you will be one of four professional staff providing consultation and coordination in the areas of medical leave reasonable accommodations and disability services for King County which employs over 18000 employees.

Our ideal candidate complies with all applicable State and Federal disability and leave laws collective bargaining agreements and court decisions. They must advise management of their responsibilities and employees of their rights under Federal and State laws as well as King County policies and regulations. They will also provide expert testimony in medical separation arbitration hearings and other related litigation. The body of work for this position is critically important to employees who seek assistance and support through the reasonable accommodation and medical leave processes as well as providing countywide consultation and technical assistance with the recruitment and retention of supported employees coordination with management and employment service agencies and other partners who provide employee support services. This position requires strong coaching skills collaborative coordination skills and empathy on a regular basis.

About DHRs Disability Services Team:
The Disability Services Team is an interdisciplinary team dedicated to providing services to King County employees who have an illness or injury that impacts them at work. We work with employees healthcare providers and supervisors to assist with reasonable accommodations and return to work plans for employees whose medical conditions affect their ability to perform the essential functions of their job. The team also manages the Countys Transitional Duty Assignment (TDA) program; the Reassignment Program (RAP); and the Supported Employment Program (SEP).

TheCentral Employee Services Division supports a thriving King County employment experience and provides integrated compensation benefits work/life well-being safety and retirement planning services. Ensuring the health and safety of employees is our number one priority.

Applying equity and social justiceprinciples is a daily responsibility and foundational expectation for all King County employees. This role will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values behaviors and practices in all aspects of the work. As theDisability Services Consultant you will:

• Provide advice and consultation to management and leadership on the administration of leaves in accordance with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act King County Family and Medical Leave ordinance and other federal state and local leave laws and statutes.
• Perform case management duties in a high volume fast-paced environment for employees who need assistance and have been diagnosed with a medical condition that impacts their ability to work.
• Work with employees supervisors managers and Department and Division leadership to facilitate reasonable accommodation and interactive processes including researching identifying and recommending reasonable accommodations.
• Coordinate King Countys Supported Employment Program which provides paid competitive employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities in integrated work settings.
• Provide technical expertise and consulting services in analyzing comparing and contrasting the various Federal State and local disability statutes regulations and case law to determine appropriate actions/solutions.
• Coordinate job modification evaluations and appropriate actions prompted by requests for reasonable accommodation transitional return-to-work and stay-at-work needs of King County employees.
• Track disability services and accommodations to ensure consistency and compliance with regulatory requirements workers compensation guidelines county personnel rules and collective bargaining agreements.
• Provide education and training and communicate legal updates in reasonable accommodation disability and leave laws and policies to King County supervisors managers and leadership.
• Provide direct support to identify and facilitate resources for employees who may be facing a medical crisis; provide information about benefits FMLA/KCFML Washington state leave laws and other assistance as appropriate.
• Review and analyze confidential medical information essential job functions and employee records and prepare written correspondence and communicate with health care providers to identify and clarify medical and work restrictions.
• Maintain comprehensive and complete case notes for assigned cases preserve the confidentiality of case information and ensure the accommodations that are provided to employees are documented.
• Other duties assigned in support of DHRs Disability Services team.

Wed love to hear from those who have:

• Experience interpreting and applying the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Title VII and applicable WAC RCWs and court rulings related to disability supported employment and industrial insurance.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to translate technical information to non-technical audiences preparing correspondence for medical providers and the ability to adapt communication style to suit situations that include advising leadership and staff suggesting workable solutions and providing support and training.
• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of best practices in delivering quality customer service including effective interpersonal skills conflict resolution and the ability to promote collaboration.
• Ability to communicate policies and legal/medical terminology to clients and staff.
• Ability to adapt communication style to suit situations that will include meetings with senior managers correspondence with medical personnel.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective cooperative respectful and equitable working relationships with centralized disability services staff department leaders and a diverse workforce in order to effectively implement King Countys Reasonable Accommodation in Employment for Individuals with Disabilities policy.
• Knowledge of and ability to read and understand medical terminology interpret technical reports and understand medical aspects of impairments or disabilities.
• Skill in effective time-management planning prioritizing and coordinating multiple projects with critical timelines.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office including SharePoint OneDrive Teams Outlook Word and Excel. Data entry experience in a case management system.
• Experience in the design and implementation of disability accommodations training to various levels of employees within an organization.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelors degree in Psychology Social Work Rehabilitation Counseling Human Resource Management Occupational Therapy or closely related field; AND
• Two years of experience facilitating the interactive process on behalf of an employer to identify and provide reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities including the coordination of medical leaves; OR
• Two years of experience interacting with employees who may have a variety of physical psychiatric sensory cognitive and/or developmental disabilities and their treatment providers. OR
• Any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the applicant with the required knowledge skills and abilities to perform the work.

Highly competitive candidates will also have:

• Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and/or Certified Disability Management Specialist (CDMS) or Certified Professional Disability Management (CPDM) designation.
• Professional Human Resource designation (SPHR PHR SHRM-SCP SHRM-CP or IPMA-HR).
• Experience in the public sector.
• Experience in a unionized environment.
• Knowledge of benefits programs related to people with disabilities.
• Experience with Supported Employment Programs for persons with developmental disabilities.
• Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling or related field.

Who May Apply:
This recruitment is open to King County employees and the public and will be used to fill one career service position.

Selection Process
Forms and Materials Required

1. An online employment application completed at The employment history should go back at least 10 years if you have 10 years of employment or more to include all relevant experience. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application. All relevant experience must be included in the application.
2. A cover letter no more than two pages summarizing how you meet the required experience qualifications knowledge and job skills listed addition please share why you are interested in this position. This is a required application material. If a cover letter is not received your application will be considered incomplete and will not be considered.

Guided by our True North we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting support and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply including Native American and people of color immigrants refugees women LGBTQ people living with disabilities and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race color religion national origin sex (including gender identity sexual orientation and pregnancy) age genetic information disability veteran status or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions including but not limited to recruitment hiring selection for training promotion transfer demotion layoff termination rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.